The Crown of Excellence : Chapter 7 : § 2. 3-4

Chapter 7 : The Sixth Star or Splendour in the Crown of Excellence of the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

That she is peerless in her graces and merits

§ 2.  The increase of grace in the Holy Virgin

The communication of grace is remarkable

 3   Thirdly, I should like everyone to ponder carefully something I mentioned earlier in passing : it is only the beautiful soul that can make progress. I am referring here to the soul for whom love of God is as important as breathing air, living in total abandonment to God and determined to serve Him with courageous and heroic acts no matter what it costs. Consider how often it is the case that a rich merchant, simply walking by the seaside or seated in his office, can gain more in half an hour than a simple pedlar will in eighty years crossing and re-crossing the Alps, subjecting himself to a thousands risks and troubles. In a similar way we see in the spiritual life that a beautiful soul will suddenly be gifted with an increase in virtue that she would never have received in fifty years or that another soul would not have achieved over a similar time period through ordinary actions, even though performed with the grace of God.  The proof of this truth is conclusively demonstrated in the examples from the lives of a multitude of Saints, whose eminent holiness traces back to a courageous act followed up by achievements worthy of this first action – which can no longer be denied.

Only a courageous soul can make progress

 4   Fourthly, to make this clearer I should add that the grace God diffuses in our souls is so noble that it can increase twofold for each of the actions that it facilitates. The value of meritorious actions does not depend so much on the habits of the soul as on the efficacy of the operating grace and on the effort of the will stirred by prevenient grace. We can see this clearly in the case of those who have committed the gravest of sins, for they can make more progress in one hour than professed Religious may make over several years, despite being in receipt of God’s grace and busying themselves continually in virtuous actions. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that when virtuous habits are established to a high degree within the soul and are roused by a strong movement of grace, they are stimulated by a powerful wind, so to speak, and they can produce the noblest of consequences. In this way, it often happens that the grace that was previously in the soul increases twofold by means of an act of generosity that it produces. Every day one good heart makes more progress in a little time than is made by millions of others who labour arduously. God, who is ever-faithful, cannot be bettered in generosity and He grants gifts upon gifts, graces upon graces, favours upon favours in response to such a heart. He gives His help especially for great opportunities and noble undertakings. By means of such divine assistance, the man with a good heart performs new acts of virtue and courage every day. He receives honours and the laurels of victory, he grows in courage through his achievements and he makes progress and enjoys more favours. In the end, he has little idea of what he is gaining. 

The doctrine set out here is most true and has been taught by the Holy Fathers, it has the support of Scripture and is found in the experience of all the great servants of God. They became great only through the practice of this secret and their example should serve to prick our cowardly and lazy consciences, since God asks only for an opportunity to help us make spiritual progress.

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The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

© Peter Bloor 2024